Automatic train-stopping apparatus.



G. R. McQUEBN. AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 29, 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.-

THE NORRIS mirERs 60., PHDTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D u

GLENN R. MCQUEEN, OF BALDWIN CITY, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOPPING- APPARATUS.

Application filed April 29, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN R. MCQUEEN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Baldwin City, in the county of Douglas and State ofKansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticTrain-Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic train stoppingapparatus and has particular application to electrically controlledapparatus of this class.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provideautomatic train stopping apparatus whereby in the event of two trains orcars approaching each other upon the same trackway the propelling powerwill be cut off and the brakes applied to bring such trains or cars to astandstill.

It is also my purpose to provide an apparatus of the type set forthwhich may be installed and maintained at a minimum expense, which willoperate efiiciently and effectively for its intended purpose and whlchwill embody comparatively few parts and these so correlated and arrangedas to reduce the possibility of derangement to a minimum.

"With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the carcarried mechanism. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is afragmentary plan view showing a detail of the invention, parts beingshown in section.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustrative purposes,the car carried mechanism comprises an electric motor 8 having theterminals thereof connected with supporting arms 9, 9 each pivoted atone end as at 10 with the frame of the motor car. A suitable source ofelectrical energy as a battery 11 is connected in the conductor leadingfrom one terminal of the motor to the adjacent arm 9. J ournaled in thelower end of one arm 9 is a trolley wheel 12, while extending upwardlyfrom the wheel end of the arm is a rod 13 slidably mounted within abearing 14 carried by the frame of the car and encircling the rodbetween the bearing 14 and the wheel end of the arm is Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Serial No. 835,245.

a coiled expansion spring 15 having one end in engagement with thebearing 1 land the opposite end abutting the arm and acting to hold thetrolley wheel 12 normally in engagement with an electric currentconductor. A trolley wheel 16 is journaled in the lower end of the otherarm 9 and is adapted to ride upon a second conductor cooperating withthe conductor engaged by the wheel 12. The wheel end of thelast-mentioned arm 9 is equipped with an upstanding rod 17 slidablymounted within a bearing 18 and threaded into the bearing 18 coaxialwith the rod 17 is a stem 19 having the bearing end thereof suitablyconnected with the upper end of the rod 17 and the opposite extremityequipped with a hand wheel 20 whereby the pressure of the wheel 16 onthe sectional conductors may be varied.

In practice, the trolley wheels 12 and 16 on each motor car ride oversuitable conductors and when two trains approaching each other upon thesame track enter the same block the batteries thereon are connected inseries and current flows through the established circuit to energize themotors 8 on the trains.

Located in the steam main of the locomotive is a globe valve 21 havingthe stem thereof disposed within an elongated socket 22 carried upon oneend of a shaft 23 journaled in suitable alining bearings and capable ofrotary movement therein. Alining axially with the shaft 23 and journaledin horizontally alining bearings is a shaft 33 connected up with thearmature shaft of the motor 8 through the medium of a system of gearing24 so that upon the rotation of the motor shaft motion will be impartedto the shaft 33. Splinedupon the inner end of the shaft 33 is the malemember of a clutch 28, while fixed to the adjacent end of the shaft 23is the female member of such clutch normally engaged by the male memberthereof whereby in the rotation of the shaft 33 motion is transmitted tothe shaft 23 to close the valve 21, the stem of such valve slidingwithin the socket 22 in the movement of the valve to closed position.Lying parallel with the axially alining shafts 23 and 33 is a rod 25slidably mounted within bearings and capable of longitudinal movement.This rod 25 is suitably connected with a switch 26 located in one of themotor leads and with a valve 27 located in the train line air pipe orbrake pipe of the air brake system of a train. Fast to the rod 25 andpro-. jecting laterally therefrom is a shipper arm 34 having the outerend thereof formed with a yoke 35 surrounding the hub of the male memberof the clutch 28 and having the inner faces of the. opposite limbsthereof formed with inwardly extending pins 36 disposed within a groove37 formed inthe hub of such clutch member. Fast upon the rod 25 is acollar 38 provided with an outwardly extending pin 39 disposed within acam groove 40 formed in a disk 41' fast upon the shaft 23. Surroundingthe rod 25 and holding the latternormally against longitudinal slidingmovement is a coiled contractile spring 42 having one end fastened tothe-rod and the opposite end'secured to the-adj acent bearing. As the shaft23is' rotated to close the valve 21, motionis imparted to'the disk 41'and in the rotation of'the latter the wall of'the cam groove 40'actsupon-the pin 39 and slides-the rod 25 longitudinally within its bearingsagainst the action of the spring 42 so that, as soon as the valve 21 isclosed, the switch 26 and the valve 27 are opened and the male'member ofthe clutch 28 disengaged from the female member thereof therebydisconnecting the shaft 33 from the shaft 23 so'that further movementofthe last-mentioned shaft is prevented. Keyed upon the shaft 23 isa'bevel pinion 29 meshing with a'bevel gear 30 fixed upon one end of ashaft 31,'the opposite endof-the la-tter being equipped with a handwheel "32 by'means ofwhichthe shaft 31 may be rotated to revolve theshaft 23. In the-rotation of the shaft 23' under the action of the handwheel 32, the valve 21 is restored "to normal open position and the disk41 actuated to release the pin 39 whereby the spring 42 reactsand-slides therod 25, thus restoring the valve 27, switch 26 and clutch28 to normal position.

I claim: 7 1. In automatic'train stopping apparatus, car carriedmechanism comprising a motor, an electric circuit for said motor, meansfor closing said circuit, a shaft, means operable from said shaft forcutting off the propelling power of the car, a second shaft, driv- --ingconnections between said second shaft and'motor, a clutch normallycoupling said second shaft to said first shaft, a rod capable oflongitudinal movement, means operable from said rod for disengaging themembers 10f said clutch, and means operable from said first shaft forsliding said rod to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cuttingoff of the propelling power of the car.

2. In automatic train stopping apparatus, car carried mechanismcomprising a motor, an electric circuit for said motor, means forclosing said circuit, a shaft, meansoperable from said shaft for cuttingoff the propellingpower of the car, a second shaft, driv-'shaftandformed "with a cam groove receiving said pin and acting toslide said rod to disengage the members of-said' clutch sucpower of thecar.

3. In automatic train stopping a ceeding the cutting off of thepropelling fparatus,

car carried mechanismcomprising a motor, T an 'electr1cc1rcu1t-for saldmotor, means for closing said *circuit, a shaft,'means operable fromsaid shaftfor cutting off the propelling power of the car,a secondshaft, driving connections between said; second shaft and motor,a-clutch normally coupling said secondshaft'to said first shaft, a rodcapable of longitudinal movement, means operable from said rod fordisengaging the members of said-clutch, means operable from said firstshaft'for sliding'said rod to disengage the clutch members succeedingthe cutting 70E of'the propelling power of the car, a

switch connected in said motor circuit, and a connection between saidswitch and rod -whereby the switch will be opened immediately succeedingthe operation of said first shaft.

-' 4. In automatic train stopping apparatus,

car carried mechanism comprising a 'motor, an electrlc clrcuit fOP'Sfildmotor, meansfor closing said circuit, a shaft, means operable from saidshaft forcutting off the propelling power of the car, a second shaft,driving connections between'said' second shaft and motor, a clutchnormally coupling said second shaft to said first shaft, a rod capableof longitudinal movement, meansoperable fromsaid rod for disengaging thea members of said clutch, means operable from said first'sha'ftforsliding said rod=to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cuttingoff of the propellingpowerof -the'car, a switch connected in said motorcircuit, a connection between said switch and rodwhereby the switch-willbe opened immediately succeeding the "operation of said first shaft, avalve located in the train linea'ir pipe, and a=connection between said*rod and valve whereby the latter will be opened in the sliding of therod.

- 5. In automatic train stopping apparatus,

car-carried mechanismcomprising a motor, an-ele'ctrlc GlICllltIOI' sa dmotor, means" for v, closing-said clrcult, a shaft, means operable fromsaid shaft for cutting off the propelling power of the car, a secondshaft, driving connections between said second shaft and motor, a clutchnormally coupling said second -shaft tosaid first shaft, a rod capableoflongitudinal movement, means operable from said rod for disengagingthe members of said clutch, means operable from said first shaft forsliding said rod to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cuttingofi of the propelling power of the car, and manually operable means forrotating said first shaft to restore the latter to normal position andrelieve the rod of the influence of said first shaft.

6. In automatic train stopping apparatus, car carried mechanismcomprising a motor, an electric circuit for said motor, means forclosing said circuit, a shaft, means operable from said shaft forcutting off the propelling power of the car, a second shaft, drivingconnections between said second shaft and motor, a clutch normallycoupling said second shaft to said first shaft, a rod capable oflongitudinal movement, means operable from said rod for disengaging themembers of said clutch, means operable from said first shaft for slidingsaid rod to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cutting off ofthe propelling power of the car, manually operable means for rotatingsaid first shaft to restore the latter to normal position and relievethe rod of the influence of said first shaft, and means for restoringsaid rod to normal position succeeding the manual operation of saidfirst shaft.

7. In automatic train stopping apparatus, car carried mechanismcomprising a motor, an electric circuit for said motor, means forclosing said circuit, a shaft, means operable from said shaft forcutting off the propelling power of the car, a second shaft, drivingconnections between said second shaft and motor, a clutch normallycoupling said second shaft to said first shaft, a rod capable oflongitudinal movement, means operable from said rod for disengaging themembers of said clutch, means operable from said first shaft for slidingsaid rod to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cutting off ofthe propelling power of the car, manually operable means for rotatingsaid first shaft to restore the latter to normal position and relievethe rod of the influence of said first shaft, and a spring for restoringsaid rod to normal position succeeding the manual operation of saidfirst shaft.

8. In automatic train stopping apparatus, car carried mechanismcomprising a motor, an electric circuit for said motor, means forclosing said circuit, a shaft, means operable from said shaft forcutting off the propelling power of the car, a second shaft, drivingconnections between said second shaft and motor, a clutch normallycoupling said second shaft to said first shaft, a rod capable oflongitudinal movement, means operable from said rod for disengaging themembers of said clutch, a pin on said rod, and a cam disk on said firstshaft engaging said pin and operable in the operation of the first shaftto slide said rod to disengage the clutch members succeeding the cuttingoff of the propelling power of the car.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GLENN R. MGQUEEN. Witnesses:

Gno. D. MOCLEERY, J. B. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissionler of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

